Panel assembly

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to an improved landing mat installation and the like comprised of a plurality of removably interlocked panels, wherein the joints formed by various marginal edges of the panels are provided with improved cooperating locking and sealing means that advantageously inhibit the penetration of water and the like through the joints as well as facilitating the installation and dismantlement of the panels making up the landing mat installation.

United Patent Perry Jinn. 11%, W72

[54] PANEL ASSEMIEILY 3,348,459 10/1967 Harvey ..94/13 3,455,215 7/1969 Webb ..94/18 [72] Inventor: Robert E. Perry, Lafayette, Calif. [73] Assignee: Kaiser Aluminum 1 Chemical Corn- FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATXONS than, Oakland, Calif. 78,191 5/1962 France ..94/18 [22] Filed: 1969 Primary Examiner-Jacob L. Nackenoff [21] Appl. No.: $641,329 At1orney-James E. Toomey, Paul E. Calrow, Harold L. Jenkins and John S. Rhoades Related 1115. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 767,447, Oct. 14, [5 7] ABSTRA'CT 1963, and a continuation-impart Of This invention relates to an improved landing mat installation 1969' and the like comprised of a plurality of removably interlocked panels, wherein the joints formed by various marginal edges of [52] ILS. Cl "g ll/13, 52/586, 94/18 the panels are provided with improved cooperating locking [51] m E019 5/00 and sealing means that advantageously inhibit the penetration [58] Field of Search ..94/13, 18; 52/403, 586 f water and the like through the joints as well as facilitating the installation and dismantlement of the panels making up [56] References (med the landing mat installation.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 20 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures 2,149,291 3/1939 Hofwolt.....,... ...,,,..9/l

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PATENTEU JAN 1-8 1972 SHEET 5 OF 5 @085 E. New? Y INVENTOR.

sesame PANEL ASSEMBLY DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a novel load supporting and load transferring panel system which constitutes an improvement over the interlocking panel or plank systems disclosed in my copending US. Pat. application, Ser. No. 767,447, filed Oct. 14, 1968, and application, Ser. No. 792,357, filed Jan. 21, 1969. The instant application is directed to improved means for sealing certain of the joints between individual panels and is a continuation-in-part of said application, Ser. No. 767,447 filed Oct. 14, 1968, and said application, Ser. No. 792,357, filed Jan. 21, 1969. The instant sealing arrangement is such that it advantageously inhibits the penetration of water through various panel joint structures and provides an improved arrangement for forming such joint structures.

In prior art load supporting and transferring panel systems, such as those used for landing mat installations, wherein no sealing system or only haphazard sealing arrangements were used, rain water penetrated the cracks or openings in the joints between the panels making up the mat sections and settled in pockets under the panels. This water penetration through the matting and the intermittent and repetitive application of loads thereto by aircraft using the matting created a hydraulic or pumping action which resulted in soil being forced out from under the matting through the unsealed or imperfectly sealed matting joints thereby leaving sink holes or depressions underneath the matting adjacent the joint structures.

This soil erosion and pump-through action that was initiated during one rain became aggravated upon subsequent rains in that the sink holes or excavations got progressively larger and deeper, additional water collected in the enlarged sink holes and more soil was pumped through the joints due to air traffic until, in a relatively short time, the overall landing mat system became unfit for use. At this time, the matting had to be disassembled and all of the sink holes filled with earth or the substrate otherwise leveled.

The problem of preventing water from penetrating through the surface of the matting to the subsoil, particularly in the joint areas of the matting, is further complicated by the requirements that the marginal edges of the matting panels be of such design that they can be easily emplaced and replaced while, at the same time, being capable of effectively and efficiently transferring loads from panel to panel. Finally, the panels have to be interlocked in such fashion that they will permit the normal expected thermal expansion and contraction of the panels to take place relative to each other and to the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention generally relates to improved sealed joint structures in a landing mat installation and the like and in particular to an improved sealing strip arrangement for one type of joint. This sealing strip can be advantageously initially inserted in the joint in a collapsed condition and, thereafter, expanded by operation of a special triggering device, while in place, to seal one panel to an adjacent panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS taken generally along line 4-4 of FIG. 3 with parts added;

FIG. 5 is a partially fragmented and sectionalized top plan view of an improved expandable sealing bar of the instant invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 5;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross-sectional and partial perspective views of the sealing bar shown in FIG. 5, when in a collapsed condition;

FIGS, 10 and Ill are cross'sectional and partial perspective views of the sealing bar shown in FIG. 5, when in an expanded condition; and

FIG. i2 is an end view of the sealing bar when taken along line ll2-ll2 ofFIG. 6, with parts added.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Although the improved joint sealing arrangement or system of the instant invention can be used with modular panels made from fully extruded aluminum or aluminum alloy sections, it will be described with particular reference to its use with sandwich-type load bearing panels wherein the various marginal edges of the panel comprise light metal extrusions or roll formed elements appropriately secured together and of the general type shown in my prior application, Ser. No. 792,3 57. Metal facings are secured to these extrusions to form the top and bottom of the panel and honeycomb core elements or the like are disposed within and fill the interior of the panel while being anchored to the extruded sides and top and bottom facings.

Each of these modular panel elements generally comprises a many-sided panel which is preferably square or of a rectangular configuration. Once the panels are interlocked together, they can form a landing mat installation of the type generally illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein the panels are preferably arranged in a chevron or a staggered relationship with respect to one another along certain of their sealed marginal edges.

In a preferred embodiment of the instant invention, each panel is provided with a pair of transition joint connector elements 12, which, as indicated in the drawings, can be in the form of light metal extruded sections located on opposite marginal edges of a panel. The term transition joint as used herein refers to the panel joints which include a load transferring lock bar 14 for use in interlocking adjacent panels together and for transferring the loads from one panel to another. These joints are preferably located at an angle to the normal flight path in the finished mat installation.

Since each of the connector elements 12 making up a transition joint have the same configuration and are of the general type shown and described in my copending application, Ser. No. 792,357, a description of one will suffice for both. The upper portion of connector element 12 is provided with an inwardly and upwardly disposed recess 12' which is adapted to receive a portion of a load transferring locking bar l4 that is generally U-shaped in cross section. The lower portion of the connector 12 is provided with an outwardly opening recess 15 that can roughly simulate one-half of an ellipse in cross-sectional configuration. When two of these connector elements are disposed in opposed relationship to one another, during emplacement of one panel Ill along side a similar panel 10, they are adapted to receive an expansible sealing element 16 to be subsequently described in detail within the overall elliptical recess 15' formed by recesses 15 on opposed connectors 12 and as particularly indicated in FIGS. 3 and 12.

The other two remaining marginal edges of the plank or panel 110 are made up of male and female compression joint connector elements 17 and 18 respectively of the general type disclosed in my prior application, Ser. No. 792,357. The term compression joint as used herein refers to joints between panel elements wherein the panels are interlockable without the use of an intermediate locking bar and wherein the joints are preferably arranged generally parallel to the normal flight pattern in the final matting assembly. Male and female connectors 17 and 18 can likewise be advantageously made from light metal extrusions.

As indicated particularly in FIG. 4, female connector element 18 is generally provided with a channellike opening or mouth 20 bounded or defined by a rear wall portion 21 and a lower shelf portion 22 which is opposed by an upper turned-in finger portion 23. The male connector 17 which is adapted to be received within the mouth 21! of the female connector 18 is as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 4 provided with a bifurcated or forked tongue section 24 that is adapted to be inserted in the recess 20 of the female connector element. Bifurcated section 24 includes an upper prong 26 having an upturned finger portion 27 that is interengageable with the in-turned finger 23 on the female connector 18 of an opposing panel 10. Finger 27 can be used as a pivot for the female connector 18 of an opposing panel when the opposing panel is rolled or pivoted into position in the fashion shown in dotted lines in the right-hand portion of FIG. 4. Tongue 24 further includes a lower prong 28 which is adapted to slide over and come to rest above the shelf 22 of the female member 18, when portions of the opposing panels provided with these male and female connector elements are mated with each other.

The top and bottom of connectors 12 and at least the tops of connectors 17 and 18 can be provided with ap ropriate stepped portions 13 for receiving the upper and lower deck facings or plates 19 which are in turn fixedly secured to the connectors 12 and 17 and 18 by means of the fillet weldments 21'. In making up these sandwich panels, it is the general practice after the various extruded members 12, 17 and 18 of a panel 10 have been suitably welded together at their adjoining ends or at the panel corners in the areas X as well as to the bottom plate or facing 19 to dispose and anchor a honeycomb core structure 10, see FIG. 1, made of aluminum foil or the like within the pan formed by the bottom facing 19 and extruded side elements 12, 17 and 18. After disposition of the core 50 in the pan, a top facing 19 is placed over the core. The emplaced core 50 then becomes anchored to the bottom and top plates 19 of its pan by suitable epoxy resinous materials 51 or the like affixed to the top and bottom of the core prior to its insertion in the pan. Thereafter, the top plate or facing 19 is attached to the side elements 12, 17 and 18 by weldments 21 in the same fashion as bottom facing 19 is anchored to the same members. After top facing 19 is in place, holes or openings 52 in this top facing plate 19 can be used to inject resinous adhesive material or adhesive grout 51 into the interior of the panels for the purpose of completing the adhesive affixation ofcore 50 to elements 12, 17 and 18.

With further reference to the drawings, the prongs 26 and 28 of male connector 17 are separated by a recess 30 within which a sealing strip 32 of appropriate long wearing, resilient and compressible material is inserted or lodged. Sealing strip 32 can, if desired, be manufactured in such a fashion, such as by being made of a suitable grade of extruded rubber, rubberlike or plastic material whereby it is provided with a hollow interior 34 for the greater portion of its length. In overall crosssectional configuration, strip 32 can be somewhat arrowshaped whereby it has a slightly grooved intermediate waist portion 36 which is adapted to be engaged by the teeth or splines 38 on the male connector element 17 when strip 32 is inserted in the groove 30 of the male connector.

Strip 32 as indicated particularly in FIGS. 1-3 is advantageously provided with enlarged end sections or heads 40, which can be integrally formed with the remainder of the strip 32 when the strip 32 is not provided with a hollow interior 34. When strip 32 is hollow and made of a rubber, rubberlike material or the like, heads 40 can likewise be made of similar rubber, rubberlike material or the like and vulcanized onto or suitably joined to the open ends of hollow strip 32. The lower portions of the leading edge of head sections 40 are arcuately cut away at 42. When the arcuately grooved portions of opposing end strips 32 are drawn together as indicated in the various drawings, they, in effect, act to form an arched recess and a continuation of the top of overall recess and connector elements 12 at the three-way joint or panel merger arrangement shown particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings for receiving the composite sealing strip 16 which is arranged crosswise or at an angle to the sealing strips 32 in a manner to be subsequently described.

l-Iead sections 40 of sealing strips 32 further include a shoulder element 44 at the inner bottom portions thereof and a stop element 46 projecting from the top thereof. The various transition joint walls 44 and 46' respectively of shoulder 44 and stop 46 and the compression joint walls 45 of head 40 are all advantageously inclined as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 whereby the heads 40 will engage correspondingly inclined surfaces of the various elements 12, 17 and 18 that contact such walls. The manner in which the aforesaid walls and heads 40 contact the associated inclined surfaces on elements 12, 17 and 18 is generally indicated in FIG. 3.

With further reference to the drawings and, in particular, FIGS. 5-12, it will be observed that the elongated, expandable and composite sealing strip 16, which is adapted to be inserted in the mating openings 15 of opposed connector elements 12, when adjacent panels provided with connectors 12 are brought together, is in a preferred embodiment of the invention somewhat elliptical in cross-sectional configuration. In contrast to strip 32, which is usually carried in its associated male member 17 at all times, composite strip 16 remains a disconnected or out-of-place member until two panels 10 are joined and overall opening 15 formed therebetween.

The springy and flexible portion 55 of strip 16 is preferably made of metal and another portion 58 is preferably made of resilient compressible material, such as a suitable grade of rubber or rubberlike material, which has sufficient resilience and compressibility that itcan be appropriately compressed within the overall opening 15 formed by the oval-shaped recesses 15 of opposing connector elements 12. The instant sealing strip is adapted to be inserted and initially located in an overall opening 15 while in a collapsed condition and, thereafter, expanded in the unique fashion as will now be described.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, this composite sealing bar can have an elongated and split main body portion 55 that is made from spring steel of suitable grade and with a thickness on the order, for example, of about 0.010 inch. Suitably bonded and attached to the web part 56 of spring body 55 is a sleevelike portion 58 of suitable long wearing resilient and compressible rubber or rubberlike material or plastic such as neoprene. As indicated in FIGS. 5 and 6, sleeve 58 can be provided with a lip 59 that partially projects out from the forward end 60 of web 56 and partly underlies web 56. Lip 59 can be formed integrally with sleeve 58 or from a separate piece of rubber or rubberlike material vulcanized to sleeve 58. In any event, lip 59 is reinforced by a U-shaped metal cliplike element 61 embedded in lip 59 as well as sleeve 58 per se at the time they are initially formed. A similar smaller lip 59 can be used at the other end of bar 55.

Springy body 55 further includes arcuate sidewalls 62 and 63 that project and curve outwardly away from web 56. Wall 62 terminates in a reverse curl 64 while the free terminal edge of wall 63 terminates in an inwardly directed lip 65.

In the initial compressed state or condition of bar 16, the curl 64 of wall 62 is held in locking contact or engagement with lip 65 on wall 63. This is the condition of bar 16 when initially inserted in the overall elliptical cavity 15' between two transition connectors 12 of two adjoining panels. This compressed condition of the spring body 55 is shown particularly in FIGS. 8, 9 and 12. Disengagement of curl 64 from lip 65 produces the expanded condition of bar 16 and body 55, all as illustrated particularly in FIGS. 10 and 11. Disengagement of curl 64 with lip 65 is effected by a triggering device 75, the structure and function of which will now be described in detail.

Located at selected points along the curl element 64 of wall 62 are a series of buttonlike depressions or indentations 72. In the retracted or collapsed condition of bar 16, when curl 64 is in locking engagement with lip 65, these depressions are adapted to receive and hold in an at-rest position the button elements '74 located on the elongated trigger bar device 75 that is sandwiched in between the tip portion 64' of curl 64 and the base portion 63 of wall 63. As depicted particularly in FIGS. 4i, 5 and 6, the one end of trigger device '75 is provided with an actuating fingerlike element 76. This triggering device 75 operates in the following fashion. Prior to the time the composite bar 16 is emplaced in the openings 15, the composite bar is compressed in such a fashion by a suitable tool or by hand whereby curl 6 -1 is brought into engagement with the upwardly projecting lip 65. Upon closing or compressing bar 16, the triggering device 75 will have been disposed in between side elements 63 and 64 as aforedescribed, with the indents or buttons 74! on trigger device 75 disposed in the recesses 72 in the curl 641 and with the trigger finger element 76 in an extended position, all as shown generally in FIGS. 4, 5 6 and 7.

Thereafter, the composite bar 16 is deposited in its collapsed condition in overall opening 15' between a pair of panels 10. Since the bar 16 is in a collapsed or unsprung condition, it can be readily slid along opening 15 until a special stop 81) thereon, see FIGS. 3 and 4, contacts the edge of a panel element 12. At this time, the operator can shift the trigger 75 by pushing the same inwardly or it can be done automatically by the ledge or foot 22 of another panel when this latter panel is pivoted into position in the manner shown in the right-hand portion of FIG. 4.

In any event, as the trigger device 75 is moved inwardly and to the left as viewed in FIG. 4, regardless of how it is shifted or actuated, the buttons 74 thereon move out of the recesses 72 in the curl element 64 and into contact with the bottom portions of our] 64 whereby they act as cams to move curl 64 upwardly and out of engagement with lip 65 whereby the curl 64 becomes disengaged from lip 65 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11.

As curled portion 64 becomes separated from lip 65, the spring tension acting on device 75 is relaxed as device 75 generally expands in the manner shown in FIG. 10. At the same time curl 64 is disengaged from lip 65 and the composite strip 16 expands, trigger device 75 remains loosely in place and the rubbery sealant element 58 attached to the web 56 of the metal body 55 comes into full sealing engagement with the wall surfaces of the elements 12 that define the recesses as well as the arcuate wall portions 42 of the heads 40 of the strip 32.

The arrangement for assembling the various panels 10 so that substantially continuous seals will beprovided for the full length of, as well as the intersections of, the compression and transition joints of a typical landing mat installation will now be described. Prior to assembly of the panels in the matting installation at the desired site, it is to be understood that all of the sealing strips or plugs 32 will normally be in place within the openings 30 of their associated male members 17 having been disposed in said openings, for example, at the factory. The strips or plugs 32 fit snugly within openings 30 in such a fashion that the enlarged head portions 40 thereof protrude into the triangular pockets Y formed by the adjoining ends of the connector elements 12 and 17 at two corners of the panel 10. Thus, the cutaway sections 42 of a pair of matching heads 41) can form a continuation of the top of the overall groove 15 of any given pair of adjoining connector elements 12. The sides 45 of heads 111 are advantageously inclined or tapered during their manufacture at substantially the same inclined angles as the exposed edges of connectors 12 and walls 21 of grooves of members 16 which they are to abut in the final joint structure shown in the drawings. The backwall 416' of stop 46, which can extend for the full width of strip 32, if desired, and the backwall 141' of shoulder 44 are likewise advantageously disposed at substantially the same inclined angles as the free edges of their associated male connectors 17, which they are to abut in the aforesaid final joint structure. By virtue of the aforesaid tapering of various portions of heads 411, the heads 10 of each strip 32 will advantageously wedgingly and sealingly fill the finall overall joint pocket area in which they are located and in the fashion shown in the various drawings. Heads 40 will also be in snug engagement with all of their associated connector elements 12, 17 and 18 that they contact in the final matting assembly.

When a series of strips 32 are emplaced end-to-end along with their associated panels, they act to seal one of the many parallel and substantially continuous compression joints in the overall matting system while the composite strips or bars 16 will advantageously act to seal the discontinuous and staggered transition joints arranged generally crosswise to the compression joints.

When composite strips 16 are sealed to strips 32 at the intersections of transition and compression joints, full seals will then exist between these compression and transition joint sealing elements. In other words, all the: longitudinal and lateral joints or mat seams using sealant strips or bars 16 and 32 will be substantially continuously sealed to each other in the overall matting system of the instant invention so that a substantially water impervious landing mat installation is provided. It is to be understood, of course, that suitable drainage ditches or the like can be dug adjacent the instant sealed landing mat installation for the purpose of carrying off water that collects on the mats and flows off of the same. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the compression joints are located so as to parallel the normal traffic pattern at the site of the landing mat installation while the transition joints are arranged transverse to the normal air traffic pattern.

In one advantageous scheme of mat installation, a series of panels 10 with sealing strips 32 fully attached can be first laid end-to-end in a continuous row and with the transition joint connectors 12 of adjoining panels being disposed in opposed relationship, or as close to one another as possible, and with their male connectors 17 exposed, all as indicated in FIG. 1.

Thereafter, a separate sealing strip 16 is manually inserted in each of the overall openings 15 formed by opposed connectors 12 in each of the transition joints for the single row of installed panels.

In any event, as a seal strip 16 is slid endwise through the overall opening 15, the endwise movement of the strip will continue until the one end thereof contacts and abuts the sealing strip 32 in a prior row of panels.

A preferred embodiment of the invention contemplates that the locking bar 14 for each transition joint that ultimately contains an emplaced strip 16 be first emplaced before the strip 16 itself is emplaced and expanded or at least before the strip 16 for the given transition joint is expanded in the event the strip 16 is emplaced in a given transition joint before its associated locking bar 14 is emplaced.

Thus, the locking bar 14 for each given transition joint can be emplaced in such a joint prior to emplacement of a sealing bar 16 by being slid or forced endwise and to the left as viewed in FIGS. 1, 2 and 4 through openings 12' in connectors 12 by the aid of a suitable tool, if necessary.

After emplacement of the locking bar 14, an expansion of the sealing strip 16 for the same joint is effected as aforedescribed. Expansion of strip 16 will have a certain tendency to force the elements 12 apart whereas the counteracting action of bar 141 when emplaced will tend to exert some compression on the strip 16. The overall effect of the interaction of the bar 14 and strip 16 is that bar M will remain in engagement with connectors 12 and effectively perform its function of transferring shear loads, etc. from one of its associated elements 12 to its other associated element 12 during use of the matting.

Since the locking bar 14 is of such a length as to protrude into the pockets Y formed at the one type of three-way joint structure at the point of mergence of the panels or at a joint S, it will tend to exert a downward compressive force upon the heads 40 of the sealing elements 32 in the pockets Y at such a joint with this force then being transferred to the sealing elements of compressive resilient material sandwiched between the various members of the joint S. At this time, the reinforcement 61 located in the tongue 59 of resilient material will prevent the undesirable collapse of the tongue 59 in the area of a joint S and particularly in the area, where it is relatively unsupported, while at the same time being located in a critical sealing position in the aforesaid three-way joint. As further indicated in the right-hand joint of FIG. 4, the resilient part of the composite strip 16 that is compressed in the area of the joint and flattened produces a corresponding flattening of heads 40. As heads 40 are compressed, they are forced outwardly and into firm abutting engagement with the various associated walls of elements 12, 17 and 18 in the final joint structure S during the various conditions of mat installation at the installation site.

After all the panels in a particular row, e.g., row A of FIG. 1, are emplaced and sealed together as aforedescribed, a second row of panels is installed by simply rolling the tongues 23 of the female members 18 on the various panels making up, for example, the second row or row B about the fingers 27 on the various male members 17 of the emplaced panels 10 in the first mentioned and first installed row A.

As the female members 18 are pivoted downwardly and rolled into place, the shelf portions 22 of the various female members advantageously slide or slip under the protruding ends of the various strips 16 while clearing the chamfered portions of the composite sealing strip tongue 59 until finger actuating element 76 of trigger device 75 is contacted by shelf portion 22. In other words, as noted above, the trigger devices 75 for all the various transition joints in one row of installed panels can be actuated by the panels of the next adjacent row during the ensuing installation of the latter panels. The panels of a second row or row B are advantageously offset relative to the panels of the first row or row A while the panels of row C are offset relative to the panels of row B, etc. Thus, alternate three-way joints or points of panel mergence are formed in conjunction with the joints S and S at the various ends of the transition joints between the panels of the first and second rows, etc. In addition, in order to achieve this offsetting of the panels in the various rows, the lowermost or starting panel in a given row A, B, C, etc., can be advantageously foreshortened, all as previously described in my aforementioned prior filed patent applications.

After the female members 18 of the panels 10 in the second row B are rolled into place and a sealing strip 16 inserted and located in each new transition joint in the second panel row, compression of the main body portions of the sealing elements 32 of the row A panels will take place in the manner shown particularly in the left-hand portion of FIG. 4. Accordingly, in the areas 8' or points of panel mergence in the overall compression joint between the panels in alternate rows, the free or tongued ends 59 of the seal strips 16 are appropriately compressed against the main body portions of strips 32 in contact therewith. This compressive contact between the tongue ends 59 of strips 16 with a back face 21 of a member 18 and the main body portions of strips 32 produces effective seals in all of the joints S as well as in joints S in the overall matting installation. The portions of strips 32 outside the general areas of panel mergence or joints 5 or S are sealably compressed against the associated bifurcated tongues 24 of members 17 and the backwalls 21 of the openings and elements 18 when members 18 are locked to their cooperating and associated members 17.

It will be further noted with reference to the drawings, that the ends of the locking bars 14 protrude a slight distance into the overall three-way joints 8, and that the tops of these bars are cut away in the form of a step 14'. The bars are stepped in order to prevent the bars from offering any obstruction to the downwardly turned lips 23 of the female members 18 which bridge the joints between successive compression joint members 12 in the areas of the joints S as the latter members are rolled relative to their adjoining male members 17 so as to interconnect the lips of female members 18 with the upwardly projecting fingers 27 of the fabricated tongues 24 of the male members 17.

Bars 114 can be made sufficiently long whereby they will protrude slightly into the joints S so as to aid in the compressing of element 32 in the areas of joints S.

An advantageous embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described. It is obvious that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the appended claims, wherein:

What is claimed is:

1. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, theopposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar comprised of a longitudinally split body of springy metal material disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, the free longitudinal edges of said bar comprising interengageable curl and lip elements which during interengagement initially hold the bar in said initially collapsed and unstably compressed condition in the panel recesses, and a triggering device carried by said sealing bar and partially sandwiched in between the said curl and lip elements of the sealing bar, said device being shiftable longitudinally of the sealing bar and having camming means for engaging one of the said sealing bar elements during the longitudinal shifting of the device to disengage the said sealing bar elements and effect an expansion of said sealing bar in said recesses.

2. A matting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealing bar is comprised in part of resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the sealing bar.

3. A matting system as set forth in claim 1 including a locking bar for interlocking said panels together.

4. A matting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealing bar is a hollow composite bar comprised in part of resilient compressible material that engages thewalls of the-recesses upon expansion of the bar.

5. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, means for interlocking said panels together, a triggering device shiftably carried by said sealing bar for expanding said sealing bar in said recesses upon a predetermined shifting of said triggering device relative to and longitudinally of said bar so as to seal the panels to each other after the sealing bar has been placed in said opposed recesses in a collapsed condition, and said triggering device including buttonlike elements engageable with similar buttonlike elements on a portion of said sealing bar.

6. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, means for interlocking said panels together, a triggering device shiftably carried by said sealing bar for expanding said sealing bar in said recesses upon a predetermined shifting of said triggering device relative to and longitudinally of said bar so as to seal the panels to each other after the sealing bar has been placed in said opposed recesses in a collapsed condition, and said expandable sealing bar including a split body of springy metal the free ends of which are provided with removably interengageable elements.

7. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, means for interlocking said panels together, a triggering device shiftably carried by said sealing bar for expanding said sealing bar in said recesses upon a predetermined shifting of said triggering device relative to and longitudinally of said bar so as to seal the panels to each other after the sealing bar has been placed in said opposed recesses in a collapsed condition and said sealing bar being comprised in part of a split body of springy metal the free split ends of which are provided with removably interengageable elements and in part of a resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the split body of springy metal.

8. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel being provided with an outwardly opening recess, means interlocking said panels together, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, said bar being comprised in part of a split body of springy metal material the split free ends of which are provided with removably interengageable hooklike elements and in part of a resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon expansion of the split body, and a triggering device provided with buttonlike camming elements engageable with one of the hooklike elements of the body and capable of displacing and disengaging the said one of the hooklike elements relative to another hooklike element to permit expansion of the split body in said recesses when the triggering device is shifted relative to the hooklike elements of said body and longitudinally of the body.

9. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said split body is generally oval shaped in cross section.

10. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said triggering device is provided with a finger element said finger element normally being located a selected distance outside of said sealing bar when the triggering device is initially installed.

11. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim ll wherein said sealing bar is provided with a stop element at one end thereof.

112. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means interlocking said panels together includes a generally U-shaped locking bar.

13. In a modular sealed landing mat system the combination ill of a plurality of removably interlocked panels, the opposing marginal edges of a pair of panels being assembled relative to a third panel and to each other so as to form an overall pocketed joint structure at the point of mergence of said panels, the said opposing edges of said pair of panels each being provided with oppositely opening recesses, an elongated sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between the said pair of panels and also at least partially filling the said pocketed joint structure, and a triggering device loosely carried by and longitudinally shiftable of said sealing bar for selectively expanding said sealing bar in the oppositely opening recesses so as to seal the said pair of panels together when the third panel is emplaced and a further seal strip disposed in said pocketed joint structure and cooperatively associated with said sealing bar to seal said pocketed joint structure against water penetration.

M. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said triggering device is provided with a finger element engageable by said third panel for actuating said triggering device upon the attachment of said third panel to said pair of panels.

H5. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the finger element engaging part of the third panel extends a selected distance outwardly from one end of said sealing bar.

16. The system as set forth in claim 13, including locking bar means for removably interlocking the pair of panels to ether.

i7. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said triggering device includes buttonlike elements engageable with similar buttonlike elements on a portion of said sealing bar.

18. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said expandable sealing bar includes a split body of springy metal the free ends of which are provided with removably interengageable elements. 7

19. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said sealing bar is comprised in part of resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the sealing bar.

20. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said sealing bar is comprised in part of a split body of springy metal the free split ends of which are provided with removably interchangeable elements and in part of a resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the split body of springy metal. 

1. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar comprised of a longitudinally split body of springy metal material disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, the free longitudinal edges of said bar comprising interengageable curl and lip elements which during interengagement initially hold the bar in said initially collapsed and unstably compressed condition in the panel recesses, and a triggering device carried bY said sealing bar and partially sandwiched in between the said curl and lip elements of the sealing bar, said device being shiftable longitudinally of the sealing bar and having camming means for engaging one of the said sealing bar elements during the longitudinal shifting of the device to disengage the said sealing bar elements and effect an expansion of said sealing bar in said recesses.
 2. A matting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealing bar is comprised in part of resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the sealing bar.
 3. A matting system as set forth in claim 1 including a locking bar for interlocking said panels together.
 4. A matting system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sealing bar is a hollow composite bar comprised in part of resilient compressible material that engages the walls of the recesses upon expansion of the bar.
 5. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, means for interlocking said panels together, a triggering device shiftably carried by said sealing bar for expanding said sealing bar in said recesses upon a predetermined shifting of said triggering device relative to and longitudinally of said bar so as to seal the panels to each other after the sealing bar has been placed in said opposed recesses in a collapsed condition, and said triggering device including buttonlike elements engageable with similar buttonlike elements on a portion of said sealing bar.
 6. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, means for interlocking said panels together, a triggering device shiftably carried by said sealing bar for expanding said sealing bar in said recesses upon a predetermined shifting of said triggering device relative to and longitudinally of said bar so as to seal the panels to each other after the sealing bar has been placed in said opposed recesses in a collapsed condition, and said expandable sealing bar including a split body of springy metal the free ends of which are provided with removably interengageable elements.
 7. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel of said pair of panels being provided with an outwardly opening recess, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, means for interlocking said panels together, a triggering device shiftably carried by said sealing bar for expanding said sealing bar in said recesses upon a predetermined shifting of said triggering device relative to and longitudinally of said bar so as to seal the panels to each other after the sealing bar has been placed in said opposed recesses in a collapsed condition and said sealing bar being comprised in part of a split body of springy metal the free split ends of which are provided with removably interengageable elements and in part of a resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the split body of springy metal.
 8. In a modular sealed matting system of the type described, the combination of a pair of removably interlocked and opposing panels, the opposing marginal edge of each panel beiNg provided with an outwardly opening recess, means interlocking said panels together, an elongated expandable sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between said panels, said bar being comprised in part of a split body of springy metal material the split free ends of which are provided with removably interengageable hooklike elements and in part of a resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon expansion of the split body, and a triggering device provided with buttonlike camming elements engageable with one of the hooklike elements of the body and capable of displacing and disengaging the said one of the hooklike elements relative to another hooklike element to permit expansion of the split body in said recesses when the triggering device is shifted relative to the hooklike elements of said body and longitudinally of the body.
 9. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said split body is generally oval shaped in cross section.
 10. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said triggering device is provided with a finger element said finger element normally being located a selected distance outside of said sealing bar when the triggering device is initially installed.
 11. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8 wherein said sealing bar is provided with a stop element at one end thereof.
 12. A sealed matting system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said means interlocking said panels together includes a generally U-shaped locking bar.
 13. In a modular sealed landing mat system the combination of a plurality of removably interlocked panels, the opposing marginal edges of a pair of panels being assembled relative to a third panel and to each other so as to form an overall pocketed joint structure at the point of mergence of said panels, the said opposing edges of said pair of panels each being provided with oppositely opening recesses, an elongated sealing bar disposed initially in a collapsed condition partially in each panel recess and bridging the space between the said pair of panels and also at least partially filling the said pocketed joint structure, and a triggering device loosely carried by and longitudinally shiftable of said sealing bar for selectively expanding said sealing bar in the oppositely opening recesses so as to seal the said pair of panels together when the third panel is emplaced and a further seal strip disposed in said pocketed joint structure and cooperatively associated with said sealing bar to seal said pocketed joint structure against water penetration.
 14. The system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said triggering device is provided with a finger element engageable by said third panel for actuating said triggering device upon the attachment of said third panel to said pair of panels.
 15. The system as set forth in claim 14, wherein the finger element engaging part of the third panel extends a selected distance outwardly from one end of said sealing bar.
 16. The system as set forth in claim 13, including locking bar means for removably interlocking the pair of panels together.
 17. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said triggering device includes buttonlike elements engageable with similar buttonlike elements on a portion of said sealing bar.
 18. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said expandable sealing bar includes a split body of springy metal the free ends of which are provided with removably interengageable elements.
 19. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said sealing bar is comprised in part of resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the sealing bar.
 20. A matting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said sealing bar is comprised in part of a split body of springy metal the free split ends of which are provided with removably interchangeable elements and iN part of a resilient and compressible material engageable with the walls of said recesses upon the expansion of the split body of springy metal. 